Water or Vodka for Airlock?

[imaguitargod]

I use Drain-O in my airlock. If it gets sucked into the beer from negative pressure and I drink it, it'll at least clear all that seddiment out of my intestines.....



Nah, I just use vodka, cheap, sanitary, and works like a charm.

 

[madewithchicken]

At my old place we had a problem with fruit flies. They actually got into an air lock, laid eggs, and then the larva got inside the aging beer. It sounds almost unbelievable. But it is true.

My old roommate now puts lots of salt in the water in the airlock. It works very well and is very clean.

 

[z987k]

yeah vodka kills fruit flys and their larva to.

 

[hungrymonkey]

At my old place we had a problem with fruit flies. They actually got into an air lock, laid eggs, and then the larva got inside the aging beer. It sounds almost unbelievable. But it is true.

My old roommate now puts lots of salt in the water in the airlock. It works very well and is very clean.

I was researching kombucha last night, and found a site with pictures of kombucha infected with fruit fly larva.

http://www.happyherbalist.com/photos/vinegar eels.jpg

 

[Malticulous]

I just use watter. Once I didn't even use a air lock.

 

[Deacon240]

I used vodka, drank the bottle while I was brewing.

 

[hungrymonkey]

today I was swapping out a blow off tube from my porter, and the air lock from my apfelwien.

I had the bottle of vodka next to my brew closet while I sanitized the replacement air locks. Well one of my 20 months old got into the vodka, I had the cap off.

I heard the omnious sound of silence coming from the other room, then a glasss "tink" sound.

I took the bottle away from him, and finished up what I was doing. As I was leaning back after I replaced the air lock. I elbowed the bottle of vodka and broke it in half.

Apparently my toddler can handle the bottle a little better than I.

I had to upgrade my cheapy royal vodka for some seagrams in the mean time.

 

[Dynachrome]

Vodka

 

[urg8rb8]

Star San

 

[dcbw]

Vodka. From the cheapest plastic bottle you can find.

 

[dsniegocki]

Vodka. Cheap Polish vodka.

 

[PADave]

Plus, you already have some star san made up (you've gotta sanitize the carboy/funnel/etc), so you can just reuse a couple ounces of it for the airlock.

This. How are you all getting suck back into your brew? I've never had that problem.

 

[LaffnJack]

This. How are you all getting suck back into your brew? I've never had that problem.

Cold crashing after fermentation is how it has happened to me. No big deal since I use irish whiskey. Used to use cheap vodka, but I like to take a shot after finishing a brew day and I did not like the vodka.

-J-

 

[sikkingj]

Both, water for the air lock, vodka for your nerves...

 

[myerstyson]

Vodka everytime. A liter bottle of okay-tasting-perfect-for-airlock vodka here costs three bucks. I'd rather use that than Star-san.

 

[aprichman]

I usually use StarSan. I used to use vodka more often when I was using glass carboys since starsan made things slippery. Now that I've switched over to a PET carboy I've been able to retire the vodka to the liquor cabinet.